How Big Is Your Tent?
By Mitch Berg
Over the past few weeks, the MNDFL and the Dayton campaign have been trying to hammer on the fact that Tom Horner – who voted for Obama, and hasn’t publicly supported a conservative Republican for office in years – is “A Republican”, just like Tom Emmer. They also note that former governor Arne Carlson and former senator Dave Durenberger – liberal Republicans who rejected Ronald Reagan while he was in office – are endorsing Horner. Who, by the way, is a “Republican” who proposes a tax-and-spend agenda only marginally less noxious and big-L liberal than Mark Dayton’s.
“What about that big tent?”, they snark.
The quick answer is that the tent is plenty big; all who favor limiting government and holding the line on spending are welcome. Neither Horner, Durenberger nor Carlson have ever stood for either.
But since we’re on the subject of big tents…
Yesterday, Maurice Hinchey had to get Bill Clinton out to Binghamton to try to rescue his re-election bid and save his House seat. Today, Republican challenger George Phillips trumps Hinchey with a surprise endorsement from former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, a Democrat who has a track record of backing common-sense Republicans.
So all you DFLers who were trumpeting the Carlson and Durenberger endorsements last month; shall I expect you to start sending checks to George Phillips? Because Ed Koch is obviously the reasonable, responsible, non-extreme, big-tent Democrat?
Of course you should – if you follow your own logic.
And then, after the election, you can send Randy Kelly a few bucks and an “attaboy” for fighting for principle back in 2005.
Assuming you really believe all that “big tent” crap.
We Republicans don’t need a big tent. We need to get as many people as we can to crowd into the tent we have, with us.
October 13th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
I got a big, glossy 4 page 8×10 mailing today with an elephant on the front wearing a Horner button. “Meet the other elephant in the room”. It has pull-quotes from MinnPost, and David Brauer. Paid for by….
Alliance for a Better Minnesota.
Mark Dayton is pond scum.
October 13th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
if you follow your own logic.
syntax error.
We Republicans don’t need a big tent. We need to get as many people as we can to crowd into the tent we have, with us.
That’s the best response to the big tent meme I have ever read. Keeping it and will use it when needed.
October 13th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Kermit, that needs to be publicized LOUDLY.
October 13th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Kerm
Please please please – scan that. Post it on whatever blog(s) you’re writing for these days. Send me the link and/or the JPGs. I want to hammer this HARD.
October 13th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Kermit Says: “Mark Dayton is pond scum.”
Pond scum may take offense to that statement Kermit! (wink)
October 13th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Well pond scum does have a valid function. I apologize to algae everywhere.
Mitch, I don’t have a scanner, email me your address and I’ll mail it to you.
October 13th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Kermit;
Write “Return to Sender” on it and make them pay for the postage back!
That’s what I did with all of the AARP crap that I got. They finally got the message and stopped sending me stuff.
October 13th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
“That’s what I did with all of the AARP crap that I got. They finally got the message and stopped sending me stuff.”
I like that idea! Note to self: Follow the boss’s example.
October 13th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Dick Cheney gives Kermit a big tent.
October 13th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
I thought you were a sideshow person, Angry Clown.
October 14th, 2010 at 8:00 am
Scott;
Thanks. I actually have to credit another friend of mine for passing the idea on to me. He literally hates the AARP and the fact that they caved for Obamacare made him hate them even more.
I have also been doing that with the fliers from dimwit candidates and the one that I received from AfaBM.
At first, my postman was wondering what I was doing, but after I explained it, he gets it and loves the idea, too. He realizes that the USPS gets paid both ways.